Miss Maddie is NINE months old!

Oops! In preparing for the holidays, I never got to publish her 9 month update. Fortunately for me, Madeleine doesn't know any better! ;) ...she WAS 9 months old on December 9, 2008.

However, I DID take her 9 month quilt pic on time.



As you can see, Madeleine is still a very happy baby (not to jinx myself!)! :)
Now that we've got these naps figured out, EVERYONE has been MUCH happier. =)

We've been busy getting ready for MY favorite holiday, CHRISTMAS!! =)
I'm happy to report that Madeleine is still quite happy to SIT and play with her toys (& have things brought to her), true Daughter of Sharkey: why crawl when you can sit?!? ;> So we haven't had to worry about having a Christmas tree. =)




As you can tell from the pics, Madeleine still prefers random household things [bottles, paper, tags...] over her Official Toys! :P And her FAVORITE thing of all is... PAPER! (just like Daddy!!)



Madeleine is LOVING her solid foods. She especially loves to feed herself pieces of tofu, avacado, cheese, and zucchini.
VIDEO: FINGER FOODS
Madeleine is also getting to be a BIT neater, but still loves to get the fingers involved in the action, and then spread bits everywhere! :P

And even though she's getting to be heavy for the Bjorn, Sharkey still loves carrying her on her (evening) walks. ;>
In fact, Madeleine went on the swings for the first time (while tucked safely in the Bjorn)!

Madeleine's First Thanksgiving

This year we were lucky to have Grandma & Granddad Sharkey visit us (a little before Thanksgiving).
They came (we think) because they will be celebrating Christmas on the East Coast at their home (with Becca & Don).

Unfortunately, we were so busy working the two days they stayed with us (adding boards to the attic so I can store all my school literature books up there & fixing the ceiling and wall in the cottage from when the roof leaked) that the only pics we ended up taking were of Maddie when I put her in her Holiday Outfit so Rose & Bill could see. ;P



Then, Gampy (Nevins) came for his annual Thanksgiving Visit.




Wendy also came from Tahoe for some Family Fun! =)
One Thanksgiving tradition we have (much to Sharkey's dismay) is walking over the Golden Gate Bridge.

Part II of Our SECOND East Coast Trip! =)

...And the adventure continues! Before we left Western NY to go to DC, Madeleine got to play with her Mimi & PopPop for a few last minutes in the airport, which she THOROUGHLY enjoyed!!!

"Dancing" on the table

Extreme Baby! Maddie loves being crazy: upside down, tossed up, spun around, etc. etc!


Madeleine LOVES flying (especially SHORT distances, hehe!).
We got lucky on this flight; we actually had the entire row to ourselves! (too bad the flight was only 1.5 hours...) :P


After the flight, everyone told Madeleine what a Great Flier she is! (but of course!)

Now we get to visit Grandma and Granddad (Sharkey)!

Madeleine gets kisses...

and GIVES kisses! =)


Madeleine was also eager to show Granddad and Grandma her new sounds:
"Lpth"

"Fff"


And of course, give more kisses! :)



Madeleine and I even got to visit Rose's school! We met other teachers, the principal, and students. It was great to finally see where she works & to meet all the people we hear so much about! However, in my excitement to go, I forgot the camera. :( Guess we'll just have to go back next time... ;>

Here we are meeting Bill on his way home from work (from the Metro stop, really). Rose thought she'd give the Moby wrap a try ~ I *think* she liked it. =)


"Family Fun!" =)

Since DC is only ~2 hours from Philadelphia, Kristin (bravely) volunteered to bring Libby (aka Emily Jr) & Charlie down to meet their littlest cousin! :)
...of course, for poor Kristin, getting there was NOT half the fun! :P However, that's a WHOLE other story & you'll have to ask Kristin yourself about her (mis!)adventures in getting to the Sharkey's...
Nevertheless, once everyone was (finally!) gathered, the cousins had a grand time! =)

Maddie & Libby really seemed to love each other!

Sharkey with his girls: Maddie & niece Libby.

The adoration of Older Cousin Libby has already begun! =)







Unfortunately for Sean & Kristin, the weather was horrid and rainy when they visited (on Saturday). However, Sunday was gorgeous, and we went to the Halloween Fall Festival in the Town Center.
Madeleine loved looking at all the kids. But she'll have to wait a few years to follow them into the Hay Maze. ;>

For now, she's content to SIT on the outside of the maze. :)

and explore this prickly stuff!






Thank you, Rose & Bill for another fun & memorable visit! =)

Our SECOND East Coast Trip! (Part I)

We had such a fabulous time on our First East Coast trip, Madeleine and I just had to go back for more fun! ;>

The Tiny Traveller and I started the festivities in Western NY, where my Mom & Rich (Mimi & PopPop) picked us up from the airport at MIDNIGHT!! :O We didn't get home until 3am... now THAT'S love!!! :) I think next trip we might have to consider shelling out the really big bucks for a more decent time...
Anyway, after a day lounging around playing with PopPop,

getting fed by Mimi,

& "petting" Annie (Big Sister Bobby enjoyed her time off, but poor Annie had no such luck...),


we decided it was time for Madeleine to experience a Western New York institution... PUMPKINVILLE!!! =)

I think this (Sharkey) expression leaves no doubt as to Madeleine's feelings about Pumpkinville. :P


However, the DOG (Minya), had a wonderful time! :P


Minya enjoyed terrorizing the caged animals:
bunnies

chickens & goats

(The turkeys taught Minya a lesson, though: they let her get close, then pecked her nose! It's quite unfortunate that I missed capturing that funny moment, and wisely, Minya could not be persuaded into doing a "Fox-5 reenactment". Oh, well.)

Madeleine got more into Pumpkinville when we went to the corn shed with all the brightly colored Indian Corn (I'm sure it was due to a feeling of oneness with her ancestors! ;>

...AND of course, something she could finally sink her teeth into! :P



Lucky for Maddie that she perked up because we were THIS close to taking her on the Nightmare Hay Ride



Hey, it's free for kids under 3 :O, what a great idea; free nightmares for a year!! :P



But I digress... back to Pumpkinville. This was my favorite Pumpkinville photo-op as a child! =)
Maddie must REALLY have not wanted to go on that hay ride, because she actually smiled and posed for this! :P

And of course, finding the perfect carving pumpkin.


Here's Madeleine (after a long nap!) playing with her Maddie-size corn from Pumpkinville. :) Good Times.



Next, we went to visit my Dad (Madeleine's Gampy)


and of course, we went back to the Motherhouse


to visit all the nuns who prayed for Madeleine and me for so long! =)


This is Sr. Mary Lawrence who usually takes my Dad around, making introductions. Unfortunately, she fell and is working on getting better. Please remember her in your thoughts/prayers. =)

This woman is Frances Gavin, my (great?) cousin


Finally, here's Mary Jane (my aunt) entertaining Madeleine while my Dad and I eat!


And back to Mimi and PopPop in Ellicottville...
MADELEINE'S FIRST SNOW!!! =)





Fascinated with Rich's mom (AND her sparkly sweater!)

AND her little dog, too! =)